20 Easy High-Protein Lunch Recipes By Danielle DeAngelis Danielle DeAngelis Danielle DeAngelis is a journalist and Associate News & Trending Editor for EatingWell. Her current beat is focused on food and health news as well as exclusive celebrity features, regularly interviewing the top names of today’s entertainment industry. She previous worked as the 2022-23 fellow and as an assistant editor for the brand. Her passion for reading, writing and eating local all guide her in her position at EatingWell. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines Updated on July 16, 2024 Reviewed by Dietitian Christa Brown, M.S., RDN, LD Reviewed by Dietitian Christa Brown, M.S., RDN, LD Christa Brown is a registered dietitian and business owner with a practice focus on diabetes management and content development for brands and fitness influencers. She is a licensed dietitian with a Master of Science in Nutrition Education and a certification in gut health by the Institute of Integrative Nutrition. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines Close These lunches will be sure to give you a midday energy boost when you need it most. With at least 15 grams of protein per serving, these lunches can help you meet your needs for this nutrient that's important for a variety of functions, including nutrient digestion, promoting healthy aging and supporting healthy immunity. These lunches are also easy to prepare and make great leftovers so you can have a nourishing meal on even the busiest of days. Recipes like these Citrus Lime Tofu Salad and Salmon-Stuffed Avocados are tasty and filling midday meals. Love any of these recipes? Tap "Save" to add them to MyRecipes, your new, free recipe box for EatingWell. 01 of 20 Citrus Lime Tofu Salad View Recipe Save This veggie-packed salad has plenty of protein and fiber, so you'll feel full and satisfied. Prep the ingredients ahead of time for an easy vegan lunch idea to pack for work. 02 of 20 3-Ingredient Chickpeas with Kale & Sun-Dried Tomatoes View Recipe Save Carolyn A. Hodges, R.D. Oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes pull double duty in this recipe. Use the oil from the jar to cook the kale, then stir in the sun-dried tomatoes to add flavor and texture to the dish. 03 of 20 Chopped Power Salad with Chicken View Recipe Save Jason Donnelly Enjoy this filling and colorful salad for lunch or dinner. The dressing gets made in the same bowl that the salad is tossed in, so the greens absorb every bit of flavor. 04 of 20 Avocado Egg Salad Sandwiches View Recipe Save Lighten up classic egg salad by swapping in creamy avocado instead of using mayonnaise. Sandwich it between toasted whole-wheat bread and you've got an easy, packable lunch ready for work or school. 05 of 20 Mozzarella, Basil & Zucchini Frittata View Recipe Save This vegetable-studded frittata recipe is one of the quickest meals you can make. Make it for breakfast, or serve for lunch or dinner with a tossed salad and a slice of olive oil–drizzled crusty baguette. 06 of 20 BBQ Chicken Tacos with Red Cabbage Slaw View Recipe Save This zippy, creamy slaw is so good you might find yourself making it for other sandwiches. Still, it pairs beautifully with the tangy pulled chicken for an incredibly quick dinner you can make even on your busiest nights. To save even more time, use a preshredded coleslaw blend. 07 of 20 Rainbow Grain Bowl with Cashew Sauce View Recipe Save This vibrant bowl is packed with nutrients to keep you full for hours. Look for precooked lentils in the refrigerated section of the produce department. 08 of 20 Salmon-Stuffed Avocados View Recipe Save Canned salmon is a valuable pantry staple and a practical way to include heart-healthy omega-3-rich fish in your diet. Here, we combine it with avocados in an easy no-cook meal. 09 of 20 Quinoa Chickpea Salad with Roasted Red Pepper Hummus Dressing View Recipe Save This hearty vegan salad is loaded with plant-based power ingredients: chickpeas, quinoa and hummus. We love the crunch of the sunflower seeds and the unexpected flavor of roasted peppers. 10 of 20 3-Ingredient Bell Pepper & Cheese Egg Cups View Recipe Save Carolyn Hodges, M.S., RDN Requiring just three main ingredients—bell peppers, eggs and shredded cheese—these portable baked eggs are simple to assemble and perfect for meal prep. Store them in the fridge for up to 4 days to reheat on demand. 11 of 20 Cabbage, Tofu & Edamame Salad View Recipe Save Craving crunch? Bite into this salad loaded with crisp red cabbage, edamame, bamboo shoots and chow mein noodles. This salad is slightly sweetened with baked tofu, mandarin oranges and sesame vinaigrette. 12 of 20 Kale Turkey Wraps View Recipe Save Using kale leaves instead of bread to wrap your filling makes this healthy turkey lunch recipe low-carb. If you can't find lacinato, also known as Tuscan kale, try cabbage for your wrap. 13 of 20 Chopped Salad with Sriracha Tofu & Peanut Dressing View Recipe Save Prep 4 days' worth of high-protein vegan lunches using just four easy ingredients from your local specialty grocery store, including a veggie-heavy salad mix as a base. Because this salad mix is hearty, you can dress these bowls up to 24 hours before serving to allow the flavors in this healthy chopped salad to marry. If you can't find a hearty mix, go with broccoli slaw or shredded Brussels sprouts. 14 of 20 Chickpea Salad Sandwich View Recipe Save Photography / Caitlin Bensel, Food Styling / Ruth Blackburn This vegan chickpea salad sandwich is lemony, bright and surprisingly delicious. It's got all the flavors of a classic tuna salad sandwich—dill, lemon and a bit of garlic—but with chickpeas instead to add a vegan source of protein and a healthy boost of fiber. Celery brings a nice crunch. 15 of 20 Egg Salad Lettuce Wraps View Recipe Save We love the retro vibe of these egg salad lettuce wraps. Iceberg lettuce makes a perfect low-carb swap for bread to serve the egg salad. 16 of 20 Spinach & Feta Scrambled Egg Pitas View Recipe Save This meatless dinner comes together in only 15 minutes, thanks to the convenience of frozen chopped spinach and crumbled feta. We've added a flavorful burst of sun-dried tomato tapenade to spread over the whole-wheat pita before nestling the scrambled eggs inside. If you can't find it, basil pesto or sun-dried tomato pesto also work well. 17 of 20 Mushroom French Dip View Recipe Save Jacob Fox Meaty portobello mushrooms have just the right amount of earthy, savory flavor and the perfect texture to replace beef in these vegetarian French dip sandwiches. 18 of 20 Tofu Poke View Recipe Save This fast vegan version of poke (the traditional Hawaiian salad of diced raw fish tossed in a soy-sesame sauce) swaps in extra-firm tofu for fish while loading your bowl with vegetables and crunchy toppers like pea shoots and peanuts. Serve over brown rice instead of the zucchini noodles to add a hearty boost of fiber. 19 of 20 Hearty Chickpea & Spinach Stew View Recipe Save Photographer: Victor Protasio, Food Stylist: Margaret Dickey, Prop Stylist: Claire Spollen This satisfying stew comes together in a snap. Mashed chickpeas add body to the broth, and tomato paste adds a savory note without piling on the sodium. To simplify the prep, look for chopped fresh onion and shredded carrot or a soup starter mix in the produce section. 20 of 20 Caprese Sandwich View Recipe Save Photographer / Jennifer Causey, Food Stylist / Karen Rankin, Prop Stylist / Christine Keely This caprese sandwich is fresh from the basil and hearty from thick, crusty ciabatta. The sun-dried tomatoes deepen the flavor. Topping the bread with a layer of basil leaves and using toasted bread helps to keep the sandwich from getting soggy if you need to make it a few hours ahead. Explore more: Healthy Recipes Nutrient-Focused High-Protein High-Protein Lunch Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit